Grain-car door.



C. S. EATON.

GRAIN CAR DOOR.

APPLICATION men MAY 11. I914.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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C.- S. EATON. GR AIN CAR DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY H, I914.

1,204,962. I Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

'2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Kip-{TE CLARK S. EATON, OF PARK RIVER, NORTH DAKOTA.

- GRAIN-CAR DOOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLARK S. EATON, a citizenof the United States, residing at Park River, in the county of lValsh,State of North Dakota have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Grain-Car Doors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description. of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to grain cars and has special reference to animproved grain car door.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved graincar door which may be readily swung into and out of position as requiredand which, when not in use may be securely stowed beneath the roof ofthe car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible grain car doorso arranged that it is necessary to stow but one section beneath theroof of the car.

A third object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofsupporting device for the movable sections.

lVith the above and other objects of similar nature in view theinvention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement ofparts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claim.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which like characters ofreference designate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is anelevation from the inside of a car with the door in position therein,the movable door being partially raised. Fig. 2 is a section on the line2-2 of Fig. 1 with the movable door in its raised position. Fig.

3 is an enlarged detail section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is adetail section on the line H of Fig. 1, the central part of the doorbeing broken away. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the pivotedholding device used herewith. Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 66of Fig. 1, the section showing certain clamping devices used herewith.

The grain car herein illustrated is of the ordinary construction so faras its framing and general structure is concerned and is provided withthe usual doorposts 10 on each side of the door opening 11. These doorposts are connected at the top by the lintel 12. Secured to each ofthese door Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application filed May 11, 1914. Serial No. 837,822.

posts is a guide member 13 which is preferably formed from sheet metalso bent as to provide a slot 14. At the upper end of each of these uidemembers 13 the inner side of the member is cut away to provide anopening 15. Fixed to the lintel 12 are plates 16 from which depend thebars 17 provided with laterally extending pivot arms 18. On these arms18 are mounted the clamps. Each of these clamps consists of a pair ofmembers 19 which are in general form like a pair of tongs the memberspassing each other at the pivot point. The lower ends of these membershave jaws 20 the under surfaces of which are beveled so that any objectmay be pushed between the jaws provided it is of suitable size, withoutmaking it necessary to manually open said jaws. One of the arms of thesetongs is bifurcated as at 22 and journaled in the bifurcated portion isa bar 23 from which extends a tongue 24 which passes through a suitableopening in the opposite arm. This tongue 24 is furthermore surrounded bya coil spring 25 which thus serves to hold the arms apart and the jawstogether under ordinary circumstances. Extending up from one of the armsof the tongs is a grip or handle 26 and a similar grip or handle 27 ismade on the other of the arms. Slidably mounted in the guides 13 is adoor 28 which is provided on its upper edge with certain V-shaped blocks29, these blocks being of such size and shape as to be readily receivedbetween the jaws 21 when the door is raised. lVithin the car, beneaththe roof thereof, are blocks 30 whereonare pivoted ordinary turn buttons31 so arranged as to engage the lower edge of the door when the latteris swung up against the roof on the pivot 18 after being raised.

In order to wedge the door tightly into position there are provided apair of wedge strips 32 which are pivoted adjacent the 5.

lower corners of the door as at 33. These strips are limited in downwardmovement by stops 34 and are wedge shaped in cross section so that whenswung into vertical position the wedge like edges of the strip willenter between the door and the outside of the guide member thus wedgingthe door firmly into position. In order to hold these strips locked intowedging position a keeper 35 is provided adjacent each upper corner ofthe door and in this keeper slides a bolt 36 which is provided withspaced stops 37 so that the bolt may be raised as the wedge strip 32 isswung past it and then be dropped behind the wedge strip and lock it inposition.

' Adjacent one edge of the door opening are certain plates 38 whichcarry upstanding pintles 39. On these pintles 39 are supportedhingeplates l0 whereto are hinged other plates ell having suitable slotsl2- therein. These slots l2 are or 'anged, when the hinge is in oneposition, to engage over staples in the door posts 10. Opposite thestaples &3 are other staples H which are engaged by hasps 45, The hingeplates 4-1 are connected to respective door sections -16 and thesesections in turn carry the hasps 4:5. Tapered keys JET-serve to forcethe door sections 46 firmly against the door posts 10 when the doorsare'closed. Fixed to one of 20 the meeting edges of the door sections isa channel member 4C8 wherein is held awooden strip d9 to the edge ofwhich is secured a piece of cloth or felt 50 so that when the doorsections are together grain will be prevented from passing between saidsections. Secured centrally of the lower edge of the door 28 is alifting lug 51 so that a lever maybe employed to start the door upward.

The device is shown in Fig. '1 in the position which the parts assumeeither just prior to closing all of the doors for the reception of grainor just after the lower door has been removed for withdrawing grain fromthe body. It is prefereable however 'to first of all drop the section 28and to do this the buttons under the roof are turned so that the sectionswings down ready to pass downthrough the guides. Then the members 26and 2'? are grabbed and the doors 21 separated manually. 'This lets thedoor 28 drop to the bottomwhereupon the members 32 areturned upward, thebolts 36 being lifted, and the door pushed firmly into and eilicientdevice of the kind described and of the character specified.

It will be obvious that i'nany minor changes may be made in the form andconstruction of this invention without departing from the materialprinciples thereof. It is not therefore desired to confine the inventionto the exact form herein described and shown, but it is wished toinclude all such as come properly within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

The combinationwith a door frame including a lintel; of horizontal pivotarms supported beneath said lintel parallel thereto, a pair of tongsmounted on each of said arms and provided at their lower ends withupwardly converging jaws, springs normally holding said jaws together, adoor mounted for vertical sliding movement beneath said tongs, and wedgemembers on the upper edge of said door, said member being arranged toseparate said jaws as the door is raised whereby to permit engagement ofsaid wedge members by said tongs.

In testimony whereof, I atfix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

' CLARK S. EATON.

\Vitnesses:

W. A. LILY UIs'r, K. B. OREILLY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). C.

